Springbank 1997 Vintage (55.2%)

This Springbank, an official release, a 10 year old Campbeltown malt from 1997 and bottled at 55.2%. Springbank, run by J and A Mitchell since 1828 in Campbeltown, is run much as it was a century ago. The cult around Springbank has made it one of the most collected of all malts.

This was distilled the Springbank way, two and a half times from floor malted barley, then condensed through worm tubs. Ex-Sherry wood suited the heavy make, adding a dried fruit richness. At a youthful age the make is lively, salty and full of character. Years in oak deepen the fruit and the maritime character together. Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn each show a different face of the one distillery. The open larch washbacks are a rare survival in modern Scotch. The distillery has become a place of pilgrimage for whisky enthusiasts. Kintyre's damp, mild climate suits a long and gentle maturation.

At 55.2%, undiluted, it is deep and powerful. A sherried dried fruit and nuts from the cask underpins oily orchard fruit, salt and a wisp of peat. A coastal salt and an orchard fruit lift it. The close is rich, fruit over a saline depth. This is an oily, salty Campbeltown classic.